The present invention generally relates to information processing apparatuses, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus having a portable shape.
Information processing apparatuses typified by lap-top computers and portable word processors have become more affordable and popular in recent years. With respect to such portable information processing apparatuses, there are demands to improve their portability so that the user can easily carry the information processing apparatus in a bag or the like. To meet such demands, various proposals have been made to reduce the overall size, thickness and weight of the portable information processing apparatus.
As conventional methods of reducing the overall size, thickness and weight of the portable information processing apparatus, there are a method which reduces the thickness and weight by employing a liquid crystal display, a method which reduces the overall size and weight by employing electronic parts having a low power consumption, a method which reduces the overall size and thickness by minimizing clearances between internal units of the portable information processing apparatus, a method which reduces the thickness and weight by employing a resin casing or cover having a reduced basic thickness, and the like.
However, at the present, a considerable progress in the above described methods cannot be expected for the following reasons.
First, the overall size and thickness of parts forming the portable information processing apparatus have already been reduced to nearly the technical limit, and a new technique which would enable further reduction in the overall size and thickness of the parts is unlikely to be developed in the near future.
Second, even if a technique is developed to further reduce the overall size and thickness of the parts forming the portable information processing apparatus, the portable information processing apparatus would only become more difficult for the user to operate if the overall size and thickness of the portable information processing apparatus are further reduced considerably. For example, an excessively reduced keyboard would only make it more difficult for the user to operate keys of the keyboard, and an excessively reduced display would only make it more difficult for the user to see displayed information on the display.
Third, if the basic thickness of the resin casing or cover is further reduced in order to further reduce the thickness of the portable information processing apparatus, the strength and rigidity of the casing or cover deteriorate. As a result, the casing or cover with the further reduced thickness would easily break, thereby deteriorating the reliability of the portable information processing apparatus. In the case of the portable information processing apparatus, the chances of the portable information processing apparatus receiving an external shock is not small since the portable information processing apparatus is often carried by the user, and for this reason, it is desirable that the casing or cover has certain strength and rigidity so that the portable information processing apparatus will uneasily be damaged by external shock.
FIG. 1 is a front view generally showing an example of a conventional information processing apparatus set up on a base. In FIG. 1, an information processing apparatus 41 is set up on a base 42 such as a desk. The information processing apparatus 41 has a generally flat parallelepiped shape. When the user wishes to carry the information processing apparatus 41 in a bag or the like, the user may have difficulty accommodating the information processing apparatus 41 in the bag by one hand particularly when documents or the like are already accommodated within the bag.
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view for explaining accommodation of the information processing apparatus 41 into a bag 44 which already accommodates documents 43. In the case shown in FIG. 2, the side surface of the information processing apparatus 41 will hit the documents 43 within the bag 44 if an attempt is made to accommodate the information processing apparatus 41 in the bag 44. More particularly, since a corner portion 45 where the side and bottom surfaces of the information processing apparatus 41 meet and a corner portion 46 where the side and top surfaces of the information processing apparatus 41 meet are sharp, these corner portions 45 and 46 will hit the documents 43 when the user tries to put the information processing apparatus 41 into the bag 44. For this reason, the user must first move the documents 43 or the like already accommodated within the bag 44 so as to form a space which would enable accommodation of the information processing apparatus 41 within the bag 44, before actually inserting the information processing apparatus 41 into the bag 44. However, it is extremely difficult for the user to move the documents 43 or the like within the bag 44 and to then insert the information processing apparatus 41 into the bag 44 using only one hand.
On the other hand, when the user wishes to lift the information processing apparatus 41 which is set up on the base 42 as shown in FIG. 1, the user must insert his fingers between the base 42 and the information processing apparatus 41. However, since the side and bottom surfaces-of the information processing apparatus 41 are flat and right angles to each other, there is no space between the information processing apparatus 41 and the base 42 for receiving the user""s finger tips, and it is extremely difficult for the user to lift the information processing apparatus 41 from the base 42, particularly when using only one hand.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful information processing apparatus in which the problems described above are eliminated and the demands described above are satisfied.
Another and more specific object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus which has a shape that improves portability of the information processing apparatus.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus comprising a main body having an upper surface, and a display part which opens and closes with respect to the main body, where the display part in a closed state is stacked on the upper surface of the main body and forms a generally flat parallelepiped shape together with the main body, the parallelepiped shape has a top surface, a bottom surface, and side surfaces forming an outer periphery of the parallelepiped shape, and the main body has a first sloping surface joining the bottom surface and at least one of the side surfaces. According to the information processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to improve both the portability of the information processing apparatus and the thin appearance of the information processing apparatus such that the apparent thickness of the information processing apparatus will look smaller than the actual thickness of the information processing apparatus.
A further object of the present invention is to provide the information processing apparatus of the type described above, and wherein a vertical height of the first sloping surface taken from the bottom surface to a position where the first sloping surface and the side surface meet is greater than xc2xc a vertical distance between the bottom surface and the top surface and less than a vertical distance between the bottom surface and the upper surface of the main body. According to the information processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to improve both the portability of the information processing apparatus and particularly the thin appearance of the information processing apparatus such that the apparent thickness of the information processing apparatus will look smaller than the actual thickness of the information processing apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the information processing apparatus of the type described above, wherein the display part has a second sloping surface joining the top surface and at least one of the side surfaces, and a vertical height of the second sloping surface taken from the top surface to a position where the second sloping surface and the side surface meet is greater than xe2x85x9 a vertical distance between the top surface and the bottom surface and less than a vertical distance between the top surface and the upper surface of the main body. According to the information processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to further improve both the portability of the information processing apparatus and the thin appearance of the information processing apparatus such that the apparent thickness of the information processing apparatus will look much smaller than the actual thickness of the information processing apparatus.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.